Muscat: National carrier Oman Air’s new cargo operations facility at Muscat International Airport is aiming to increase its handling capacity to 1.5 million tonnes by 2040, a top official of the airline informed on Saturday.

“The Air Cargo Unit complements the general strategy launched by the Sultanate to develop the logistics sector, as the company is currently working in coordination with the relevant authorities in the field of air freight such as freight services, logistics and ports to develop land and air freight services with a view to reaching the capacity of 1.5 million tonnes by 2040,” said Mohammed bin Ali Al Musafir, Oman Air’s Senior Vice President of Commercial Cargo.

It is worth noting that the transportation and logistics sector has been identified as a key area of expansion under Oman’s Tanfeedh programme for economic diversification, which looks to develop the economy and move it away from the oil-and-gas industries, thereby expanding the country’s source of revenue and reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.

According to the Oman News Agency, the new air cargo hub will accommodate 734 multi-level loading containers and 2,208 mobile chutes, besides goods transport vehicles fitted with hydraulic cranes.